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Category: Simple Life Pattern Company
Hello fabric friends!
I am thrilled to be included in another one of Sharon Holland’s fabulous blog tours. I promise you that you are in for a textile treat if you stop and visit the other makers. I love the fabulous banner tutorial Dritz shared with us last Friday, and I’m happy to be the first maker on the tour this week.
Make sure you visit Sharon Holland on Instagram as she is hosting very cool weekly giveaways featuring the tour’s sponsors: Dritz Sewing, BlocLoc Rulers, and Fat Quarter Shop. She is also hosting a similar giveaway on the weekly recap blog post.
I decided to sew for two of my kids this year-my baby girl (who’s really more of a toddler) and my 9 year old. Sly Fox Fabrics was kind enough to send each of us bloggers some yardage to use during the tour. They’re a new-to-me company, but I was so impressed with the quality of their fabric and the speed of their shipping. Make sure to check out their Americana collection here for your own patriotic sewing.
First up, my 9 year old…I chose a baby French Terry in mottled denim from Sly Fox to make Coastal Craze Baggies from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop for his shorts. Somehow each of my boys are in dire need of shorts in their closets this year! I sized up one size so hopefully these will still fit next year.
I used a navy cotton lycra from Peek A Boo Pattern Shop for the waistband, and as soon as he put these on, he told me they were the softest shorts I’ve ever made him. He’s already worn them several times which is always a good sign! For his tee, I used Katy’s Stars and Stripes design for HTV over at Thread and Grain and ironed it on a ready to wear t shirt.
For my daughter, this beautiful blue and white rayon challis stripe jumped out at me. I started out making a Baby Mia from Simple Life Pattern Company, but after I completed the skirt, I decided to alter my plans and mashed the top tier of the skirt with the Baby Bella woven bodice. I used a red Kona cotton from Joann’s for the accents.
My favorite part of this dress is the straps of the Bella in the back. I love using the v back and straight straps to add visual interest. I paired the tunic with the Tammy Tulip shorts I featured in my Baby Skyler post, but I used the inside of them since they’re reversible.
Thanks for stopping by my stop here for the Sew Americana tour. I’ll leave you with the best picture of the two of them I could get. Toddlers are hard to photograph! Make sure to check out the other stops on the tour as well. There are some beautiful makes!
Monday, June 25:
Wild + Wanderful | Marvelous Auntie M | Handmade Boy
Phat Quarters | Call Ajaire
Tuesday, June 26:
Musings of a Seamstress | Sea of Estrogen | Sew and Tell Project5 out of 4 Patterns |
Little Heart Threads
When a big box of knits arrives at my house (not very frequently if my husband is reading this), two of my daughters immediately start claiming fabrics and asking for dresses. To be honest, they have been a bit “mama-made” starved the past several months. I am nearly 30 weeks pregnant now and have taken a bit of a pregnancy and long winter-related hiatus from doing a lot of girls’ sewing, blogging, and shooting. The new Skyler dress pattern was perfect to get my “sewjo” back and also take advantage of utilizing some fabric cuts that I loved but had been sitting for several months. And if you haven’t seen the news on Instagram, I am having another girl, so I promise more girls’ sewing is coming!
I love sewing with knits, particularly high-quality cotton lycra/spandex. I made this version in one of my favorite Art Gallery Fabrics prints by Sharon Holland Designs.
I chose to do the large bow back view for this version and had just enough fabric for the circle skirt. This is a straight size 4.
One of the variations of Skyler’s top and dress includes small side bows. I made 3 sets of hairbows to coordinate with her favorite Skyler dresses as you can see in this picture. Just follow the tutorial to make the bows and hot glue to your favorite clip of choice. Due to the thickness of her hair, I used french barrettes so they would not slip out.
For my next Skyler, I combined one of my favorite fabrics, Art Gallery Yellow Stripes, with a large remnant I had leftover from sewing for the Printemps Fusions Lookbook earlier this spring. I just cut the fabric to length to the width of fold due to the limited yardage I had. Luckily, with knits you can get away with removing a few inches on gathered skirts. This pattern is also suitable for using woven fabric for the SKIRT ONLY but I prefer to make all-knit dresses for ease of washing and comfortable wear.
For this version, I chose the simple square back. The instructions were clear to make a fully-lined and unique bodice.
I also used my time during testing to get Little Miss’s 4th of July outfit created! Doesn’t she look like a little firecracker? I did another large center bow for her and used the circle skirt for maximum twirl! The fabric is a custom print I picked up last summer that is no longer available. I’m glad I saved it for the right pattern!
During testing this Little Miss also had a 4th birthday! I pulled every gorgeous floral and every whimsical print I had out of my stash to let her choose! She kept saying, “Nope. Not enough colors.” Until we arrived at this stripe which is still in stock here! Momfession: I tried one more time to get her to choose a tossed print so I could do the speedy circle skirt. But, seriously, even if you use all the options, my first Skyler took me less than 2 hours even with careful stripe matching and needing to follow the instructions step by step.
She wore this to her birthday party and got soooo many compliments!
Finally, I want to share my very favorite Skyler!
My nearly ten-year-old daughter helped me find these beautiful fabrics in my stash. I combined Art Gallery sleek mint stripes with another older AGF print from the Geometric Bliss collection. My daughter wanted a circle skirt and simple square back done on the modest cut line with short sleeves for summer events. The pattern also includes full-length sleeves so I know it will transition well for back to school. I sewed her a straight size 10 bodice and lengthened the skirt to a 12 due to her height.
The dress had the tween-friendly, retro look we were both going for. I usually avoid cutting a circle skirt on directional fabric, but since these were vertical stripes in short bursts, I thought it would be fun to play with the print’s orientation within the circle skirt. It kind of looks like a colorful disco ball to me!
Last but not least, I have a bonus Skyler to share! 3 of us 4 over at Sew and Tell Project participated in testing the Skyler. We all loved it! Here is Emily’s beautiful version in a size 7/8L on her little girl. I love the colorful use of chevrons to showcase the pattern.
I hope one or two of these beautiful dresses has inspired you to add the Skyler’s Square Back Top and Dress to your pattern stash and more importantly, get sewing! Tell us what you think below!
I made two versions of the Baby Skyler during testing. The first was the simple open back cut out and gathered peplum length top. This Riley Blake Idelwild knit is perfect for this summer tank.
I paired my Baby Skyler with a pair of Baby Tammy Tulip shorts. I love that they are reversible for two different looks and work great with this peplum length top.
The Fourth of July is fast approaching, and for my second Baby Skyler, I decided to run with the red, white, and blue theme. I made the short sleeve circle skirt peplum length top with the big bow on the cutout. I used royal blue and red cotton lycra from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop, my favorite place to buy cotton lycra solids (and most other fabrics!), and a woven fireworks fabric I’ve had in my stash from Joanns since last year.
This top is perfect for those hot summer days and parades on the Fourth. The woven skirt still fit perfectly over my daughter’s head and tummy and makes for a great casual top for the parade we’ll be attending. The red bow on the back makes for a fun surprise when she turns around and runs away which is so common these days!
Thanks for checking out my versions of the Baby Skyler, and make sure to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss Emily and Eleri’s versions of the Skyler for their big girls!
You can buy the baby Saylor here! And you can grab the girls’ Saylor here!
The Saylor is a versatile, sleeveless dress and top with several backview variations and optional cap sleeves. One of my favorite features is the accent bows for the dress with bonus hairbow tutorial.
Alisha and I both sewed the SAME back view! Don’t you love it when you share similar tastes with a friend? It makes helping each other choose fabric and patterns so much more fun!
I love how sweet Miss M looks with her beautiful square back and romper bottom outfit!
I think Miss M likes her outfit, too! Now, let me share what my own Miss M thinks of her Saylor dress!
My little miss has been on a serious growth spurt as we approach her 4th birthday! I made her a straight size 5, so even with the deep 2″ hem in the pattern instructions, her dress hits below the knees. I’m okay with this since it will mean it should fit most of the summer. But if she grows, Saylor is a very quick and enjoyable sew! I think many more of these will be in her closet this summer!
To make her look I used some of the gorgeous new Tallinn Fabrics collection by Jessica Swift! This gorgeous red print is Odessa Traditionale and it is one of my favorite prints from the collection. I actually just backed an entire quilt that I will share with you at the end of the month in the alternate colorway!
Once I made my first Saylor and realized how quick it was, I decided that my big girls needed their own Saylor dresses. I used one of my favorite prints from Maureen Cracknell’s Soulful collection. I realized last week when we had a fancy family dinner outing, that my big girls have grown A LOT over this winter. I made Miss E the size 10 and added 0.5″ to the bodice length and 2″ to the skirt. Saylor is designed to fall just above the knee, but with how quickly the girls are growing these days (and with snow still on the ground) I wanted to make sure this was long enough through the summer.
One of my favorite things about the Saylor is the classic silhouette. It is a wonderful beginner sew that has several details so you can make Saylor many times without making the same design twice! I can’t wait to share more Saylors with you through this summer.
The Aria and Baby Aria are knit dresses with a fun back addition–a panel including bows. It’s such a fun, simple twist to add fun and interest to the back of a knit dress.
The Baby Aria and Aria are drafted for knit with many options. There is a bow back or simple back as well as sleeve styles of tank, short, 3/4, and long. Flutters can be used with any of the sleeve options as well. The skirt can be gathered or circle with a fun ruffle added to either option for great twirliness.
I made two different long sleeve Baby Arias for my daughter. Both are 9-12 month width with a 12-18 month length. Make sure to check and see if grading out for the waist in the baby sizes is necessary. This bodice is a bit longer and i found I needed to grade out to the next width for Miss M’s baby tummy for a better fit.
This mint dress is made from Raspberry Creek Fabrics club line. Their club line is printed in house, and it is my favorite! I used long sleeves as well as a gathered skirt on this dress.
My second dress is also long sleeved but with the circle skirt option. I found a navy knit eyelet at my local Hobby Lobby and lined the entire dress with a dark fuschia cotton lycra from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop.
I lined the bodice according to the directions. I then sewed the sides of the bodice before attaching the sleeves. I cut 1/2″ off the fuchsia sleeve and hemmed the fuchsia and navy sleeves separately before attaching them as one in the round. I did the same with the circle skirts.
This is one of my favorite tops I’ve ever made for Miss M, and she’s already worn it several times!
Finally here’s my bonus tip for accessorizing your new Aria dress! If you’re looking for a quick hair bow, use the bow dimensions to cut an extra bow for a headband or clip. I simply sewed the bow right sides together leaving a small hole to turn it on the middle of one long side. Then I wrapped the middle portion of the bow around the headband and stitched it on. Quick and easy!
Make sure to hop over to Simple Life Pattern Company and grab your copy of the Baby Aria and Aria (plus the coordinating girls Tiffany Leggings) before the sale ends on January 23rd! There is a new release discount of 20% on the patterns separately and 25% off a bundle 🙂
I had a lot of fun sewing for the tour and I am so grateful that Harts Fabric sponsored the first look I am sharing with you today! I used crepe-backed satin in gunmetal and oyster to make this SLPco Sophie dress for my 9-year-old daughter.
The Sophie is a fitted dress designed for woven patterns. I last made a Sophie for my daughter about 8 months ago and it was getting a little snug, so I sewed the next size up for the tour. My satin was 52″ wide so I made the skirt a little bit fuller on this Sophie since the satin has a ton of drape. Despite having this beautiful drape, it is also thick and not sheer at all. I’m a big believer in wearing a slip under dresses but there was no need for this particular look.
The satin was very easy to work with due to the crepe-backing. I did use a microtex needle to prevent any snags or runs. I definitely recommend this gorgeous satin which is also available in teal for girls’ and womens’ wear. Hart’s Fabric had such a nice selection of special occasion and apparel fabrics it was really hard to choose!
I did choose to slim out the ruffle on the collar piece. The satin layers are thicker and with more body than traditional quilting cotton, so I wanted it to look more like a ruffled flounce along her neckline. I then used my Aurifil 80 weight thread to hand tack the ruffle in several places along the neckline. The Aurifil 80 weight is so fine it just disappears into the fabric!
I made my 3 year-old-daughter a dress for Christmas, too! Even though she has hand-me-downs from TWO big sisters, she just LOVES new dresses and I had to sew up the beautiful Simple Life Pattern Company Wendy. That sweet collar just screamed for some gold piping. I admit I am usually the queen of KAM snaps since I am sewing for four children – but I had to give this dress the honor of buttonholes and gorgeous vintage buttons.
I honestly don’t remember when or where I got this fabric. It is a very nice taffeta with vertical stretch. I had to slim out the skirt of the pattern to accommodate the extra fullness that the taffeta has. My daughter is right between a size 4 and 5 on the size chart. I made her a 4 since most of my children start to stretch up and slim down at this age and I wanted the bodice to fit her nicely.
Big or small, every little lady deserves to feel special. I’m so glad that with Simple Life Patterns, I can make them something that makes them shine throughout the holidays and beyond.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing some sneak peeks from the other amazing makers on the blog tour! Make sure you visit these incredible women and see what they are sewing!
Happy Sewing and Happy Holidays!
November 13 – Kainara Stitches – Ammon Lane
November 14 – Sew and Tell Project – Lace and Pine
November 15 – Sunflower Seams – SewSophieLynn
November 16 – Wonderfully Handmade – Idle Sunshine – I am Mami de Sofiona
November 17 – Pear Berry Lane – It’s Liesel
There are TWO ways to win in this giveaway!
Can you believe Halloween is just around the corner? It sneaks up on me every year. This year, I am headed to International Quilt Market in Houston (in 10 days!!!) so I want to be sure my kids have their costumes ready before I go so I can just enjoy the festivities when I get home.
If you have children, you have probably now seen the hit Disney movie “Moana” a few or a dozen times. I LOVE so much about the Moana movie so making my 3-year-old a Moana dress was super-fun for me.
I have a few rules about sewing costumes for children:
That’s right! This little lady is super excited to be a big sister again! She has been carefully saving her mommy-made dresses for years in hopes of someday having a little sister to pass them on to. And, at the rate she has been growing, the collection of dresses she has quickly outgrown has been increasing faster than we expected! Who knew kids could grow so fast?
For this outfit, I used a red and while chevron Riley Blake knit from Peekaboo Fabric Shop. The top is the Knit Ayda from Simple Life Pattern Company. This is a size 5 in a dress length, but since she is much taller than the size 5 on the SLPCo size chart, it works perfectly as a longer tunic for her. The chest is a perfect fit and I just love the V formed by the cross-over back. So summery and comfy at the same time!
The Knit Ayda is easy and quick sew, especially the sleeveless version. The bodice is fully lined, so the inside is just as smooth as the outside, with the exception of the waist seam. This dress is definitely a favorite around here!
For my tank, I used the Essential Tank and mashed it with the Layer Me Up Maternity Add-On – both from Patterns for Pirates. There were lots of firsts for me with this project – it was my first time sewing a maternity top, my first time sewing with rayon spandex, and my first time using a pattern from Patterns for Pirates. I’m considering it a smashing success! I raised the neckline and shoulder seams and shortened the front to accommodate for the fact I’m shorter than the height that the pattern was drafted for. The back fits like a regular non-maternity tank and the front has just the right amount of ruching to fit a growing baby bump. The rayon spandex is from Joann Fabrics and is so soft and comfy. I used navy blue cotton lycra from Peekaboo Fabric Shop for the bands since the rayon spandex doesn’t have enough recovery to use as bands. I’m loving being able to make clothes that fit my growing belly and I’m pretty sure the maternity add-on from Patterns for Pirates is the most practical pattern I’ve discovered in a while!
Thanks for stopping by the Sew and Tell Project and be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour for more patriotic inspiration! Join the fun and link up your own red, white and blue creations at the very end of this post.
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Wild & Wanderful
But this post is about beautiful In Blue fabrics. I’m linking up with several other talented bloggers to showcase this beautiful blue-themed collection in a blog tour hosted by Cassy from Pear Berry Lane.
I was sent a few yards of prints from In Blue Fabrics awhile back to sew for Art Gallery Fabrics. The Lookbook for In Blue just released yesterday! Make sure you check out all the gorgeous creations in the book and then read below for the details on my outfits!
My first make for the lookbook was this gorgeous knit Spellbound dress. The Spellbound is a Pattern Emporium design and it is now my “go to” dress pattern. I have made SIX so far! I will dedicate a separate post to the Spellbound soon to explain why this is a pattern you must-have in your arsenal for self-care sewing. The designer, Kate, and her testing team dedicated so much time and talent to perfecting the fit so it is a truly flattering sew. The dress comes with options for two necklines, tank or cap sleeves, and several lengths ranging from mini to maxi. I feel so comfortable and polished in my knee-length dress, particularly in this gorgeous shade of blue in the Bloesem Dark print. Special thanks to Katie from Simple Life Pattern Company for photographing this make.
My second sew was made with my favorite print in the collection! The Fietsen Intense print is printed on cotton spandex and is the AGF quality that we love. I sewed my first knit Ayda by Simple Life Pattern Company. Katie did a beautiful job taking one of the best-selling woven patterns (the Ayda) and redrafting it for knit. I didn’t get a chance to sew it when it released, so I decided to make it for the lookbook. The fully-lined tank version makes this such a quick sew! The pattern also includes sleeve options and a circle skirt add-on. This girl and I usually love a good circle skirt, but since the bikes are directional, we opted for a simple gathered skirt!
Finally, the fantastic Katie captured this beautiful shot of my youngest in her Simple Life Patterns Jaimesyn. I left off the optional ruffles and used white piping to mix it up a bit. The Jaimesyn is one of my favorite “longer” sews. A double-ruffled Jaimesyn with pockets takes me about 3 hours from start to finish, but substituting the ruffles with piping and leaving off the pockets, made for a new look and a much quicker sew. One of my favorite things about the Jaimesyn is it includes updated placket instructions so the placket seam is fully enclosed!
Check out those sweet bikes on the Fietsen Dawn woven print. I LOVE bicycle fabric so much that I used both colorways in my sewing. I used Chinoiserie Kobalt as my coordinate for the side panels on my Jaimesyn. This is one of my favorite makes for my little girl. Since I don’t tend to wear a lot of blue myself (something I’m fixing after this collection!) I forget how nice it looks on my children. She calls
these cute Cat and Jack Sandals